A diverse delegation of students, representing a 'Students' Parliament' from across 28 Indian states, held a significant interactive session with Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday. The meeting took place at the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat in Shimla.
Historic Setting for a Modern Dialogue
The interaction was held in the historic Council Chamber, a heritage building constructed between 1920 and 1925. Speaker Pathania enlightened the young delegates about this chamber's pivotal role in India's legislative history. He emphasized that this very hall hosted the country's first National Assembly, where landmark resolutions such as women's voting rights and the 'Quit India' proposal were passed.
He further provided context about Himachal Pradesh's statehood, noting it became the 18th state of the Indian Republic on January 25, 1971, and currently has a 68-member Assembly.
Deep Dive into Democratic Functioning
Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania offered the delegation a comprehensive briefing on the core aspects of the Assembly's work. This included a detailed explanation of the legislative process, time allocation for debates, and the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
A key highlight of his presentation was Himachal Pradesh's pioneering role in digital governance. Pathania explained the state's early adoption of the e-Vidhan system for paperless proceedings and its subsequent transition to the national NeVA (National e-Vidhan Application) platform.
An Engaged Exchange of Ideas
The session was highly interactive, with students from premier institutions like IIMs, IITs, national law universities, and other reputed colleges actively participating. They posed thoughtful questions on a range of topics, including the practical application of the anti-defection law, the operational benefits of the e-Vidhan system, development projects, and finer points of legislative procedures. The Speaker addressed all their queries in detail.
The delegation is on a three-day visit to Himachal Pradesh from January 8 to 10, aimed at engaging with eminent personalities and exchanging ideas on governance and democracy. Following this session, Speaker Pathania also interacted with trainee officers of the Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration, extending the discourse on public governance.
